K'taka scales up Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's security

Karnataka government has scaled up security of the spiritual guru.

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STEPHEN DAVID

May 31, 2010

UPDATED: May 31, 2010 13:54 IST

Karnataka government has scaled up security for Art of Living (AOL) founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who told his followers at his headquarters here last night that he had narrowly escaped a gun shot attempt his way.

Karnataka home minister V.S. Acharya, currently in Udupi district, told India Today that he has already put senior officials on the job to go deep into this reported attempt on the 54-year-old Hindu spiritual leader's life. "We don't have any more information than whatthe (ashram officials) have told our police. What I have learnt is that there was no any injury, not even an abrasion on him, may be a small black mark, but we don't want to leave any stone unturned, and as a precautionary measure security has been stepped up there." Police officials, who have recovered the shell of the attack, feel that the attack on the spiritual guru's convoy in the ashram campus was more to create a fear psychosis while the guru himself appealed for peace after saying he had already forgiven the attacker. Today morning the guru even publicly asked the attacker to join the meditation course at his ashram so he can find some mental peace.

The sprawling world headquarters of AOL on Kanakapura road does not screen visitors -- at the AOL head's request -- but that may change. Acharya said that police cover was always there whenever he went out on his lectures or darshans. But the Sunday evening episode has still baffled the police who are trying to piece all angles to the shockingincident on the guru who has been at the fore front of trying to broker peace deals with warring groups as varied as Naxal movements in India to erstwhile LTTE in Sri Lanka.

One or two close followers of the guru that India Today spoke to say that pro-violence supporters of groups like the above may have tried to make this unsuccessfull attempt to show their anger against their desire to adopt pro-violent means to achieve their desired ends.

Acharya has also assured security to cover other major religious centres to whatever extent possible but has left to the institutions to put security and screening systems in place. "We simply don't have the manpower to man all the institutions throughout the state," he said.

The incident comes on the eve of the second anniversary of the state BJP government's rule and a few days before a mega global investors meet (GIM) that will feature a galaxy of industry leaders like steel king Lakshmi Mittal, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Wipro chairman Azim Premji, TVS chief Venu Srinivasan, Bhoruka group chief S.N. Agarwal and the leadership team of trade bodies like CII and FICCI.

Just last week a global HR firm had rated Bangalore the best place to live for expats. State ministers like Acharya only hope that the AOL ashram incident days before the GIM does not damper spirits of any kind. Sri Sri Ravishankar himself told his followers not to worry about any security threat as there is "a kavach (armour) around everybody" which is exactly what Acharya hopes for the state itself even as the chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and team get ready for a mega celebration of two years in power at the Bangalore Palace grounds on June 14, long after mega deals are struck hopefully at the June 3-4 GIM meet in the state capital.